Not many people know this but Joey and I first met in first grade. He was the guy all the girls were crushing on and he actually was in “love” with my best friend at the time. Boy was I jealous!! Whew- first grade love man! Anyway- we would always play house or boyfriends and I would always be the first to say I would marry Joey Dundas and live in our house together! Little did I know, one day it really would happen. Joey claims he had no idea who I was in first grade, I guess my Pom Pom hair ties really didn’t win the boys over! Fast forward some years and I still remembered Mr Joey Dundas. In middle school he was best friends with a guy in my Spanish class. His friend would always be talking about the trouble they got into and I would listen and just think- wow they are bada$$!! Nothing really came it of it but I would still think about him. Freshman year began and about half way thru the school year, sure enough the stars aligned and Joey was moved into my PE class. Since that moment we have been inseparable. I would annoyingly text him and ask him to hang out and he would ignore me. But one night we finally hung out- a movie night in my parents’ basement with some friends. I remember just having butterflies the entire time and thinking how much I liked him. We soon began having “our songs” that would come on the radio during PE class, and every weekend were spent together watching movies or going to the park in my neighborhood. A month or so passed and Joey soon asked me to be his girlfriend. The first time someone actually asked me and didn’t just assume we were dating. 11 years have passed now and I still get those butterflies. Through elementary to middle to high school and now we’re growing our own life together in our beautiful house surrounded by the most supportive and loving of friends and family.

It’s a funny thing when you get engaged. Everyone always asks “did you know?!” Or “were you surprised?” Truth is I had no idea. Leading up to Saturday everyone kept asking me my plans for the weekend or what I planned on wearing for a little friend gathering we were planning for. When my best friend from California texted me about my weekend plans, I finally asked- why is everyone asking me my plans?? We both thought, omg is he proposing? But I thought, surely not- the house was a mess, he was working the night before- there was no way! Saturday morning I woke up from a slumber party with one of my best friends that was visiting and two of Joey’s best friends. We cleaned up a little and Ashley, my friend in town, helped me pick an outfit for a bridal shower I was going to! Joey had just got home before I left and we were talking about potential plans for the day. I 100% confirmed to myself- nope it’s not happening! I arrived at my friend’s bridal shower- shout-out Christina and James! We celebrated and while I was there I got a picture of our friends visiting and my neighbors on our deck. Immediately I responded that we HAD to recreate the picture when I got home. Fast forward to the end of the bridal party, another friend- Toni- told me that I should join everyone at a brewery nearby and just to tell everyone at my house to meet me there. (Okay, pause, could you imagine if I actually went and ruined Joey’s proposal without knowing- LOL!) I told her I wanted to go home and change before heading out but we would meet there after! We gave our hugs and I was on my way to one of the greatest memories of my life, without even knowing.

I pulled up to the house- not suspicious or feeling like something was weird. My best of friends and family were there and we cracked open a beer. My neighbors, had to leave so they said if we wanted to recreate the picture we would need to do it now. Sure! I was so excited, as Joey and I had been planning pictures to hang up around the house. We get on the porch and my other neighbor said, “hey, since it’s your place, you and Joey should go down in the front!” I was kind of confused but thought it would be cute, so we headed down to the front yard. We start posing and Joey says “you should stand in front of me!” Little did I know he was setting up the tripod camera to take video, and allowing all those behind us to get their phones out. I thought, okay this is kinda weird... BOOM he gets down on one knee and I am so surprised I literally gasped. “Ashley, you are my everything and I want to spent the rest of my life with you….” Cheers and screams from everyone on the porch. More of the sweetest words I’ve ever heard from Joey. And cue my excited bunny hops! “Will you marry me?” Tears streaming down both our faces, I immediately say “yes, yes, yes!!” And it sounds cliche but every moment together just flashed before my eyes. Smiles and all, I FINALLY got to say yes to forever with my best friend. Joey, you gave me a day, a memory, a moment, I will never forget. I am so lucky to call you mine, now and forever. I love you and I cannot wait to be your wife!

March 6th was certainly a day I will never forget. I remember being on shift the night before and playing out the entire day in my head over and over again. The day was going to be perfect. Ashley has known about how I enjoy having cool photos printed on canvases so I figured what better photo to get than me on 1 knee! Of course all that scenario planning led to trouble trying to fall asleep! I'm sure my crew that day could recall me pacing throughout the fire house with each passing minute. The morning couldn't come soon enough. 3 alarms on my phone and 3 alarms on my watch shot me out of my bed right at 4:45am and I was ready to take on the big day! I remember having dozens of messages on my phone from some of the friends/family I had asked to be there on that special day. Having them be just as excited as I was made me feel even more anxious to just fast forward to when I asked! I certainly wish more could have attended that great day. Ashley had been getting ready in the morning and was heading for a friend's event that luckily for me, got her out of the house for a little while. After Ashley left the house, a few friends had pulled up and were "ready to party" however, I was in full focus mode! As our friends and family were showing up I started to realize "shoot, this is a lot if people. She's most definitely gonna find out!" Everyone kept reassuring me but only with the classic "you know she's gonna say yes!" Haha well that was all dandy but I was so focused on just having everything go well. Later that morning when a few more showed up I decided to send a photo to Ashley just to kinda say "hey come home soon! We're all here!" And it worked! Well, about 3 hours later. I jokingly love to tell Ashley she was late to her own engagement and didn't even know it! What I remember most vividly that day was when Ashley finally got home. Whispers all over the House "she's here she's here she's here" instantly my heart dropped.

Now that she was home everyone had questions. Coming up to me when she was in another room asking "are you gonna do it now?" I thought I heard that question at least 10 times. As ash made herself back at home, she started asking "so what are we gonna do?" And well I wasn't really prepared to have an answer so I believe I said "whatever you wanna do!" Which most definitely didn't go along with my plan. Luckily we had a neighbor their that said "hey I didn't get in the picture earlier!" And was wanting to take another! That was just the excuse I needed! Quickly everyone gathered on our front porch and I had set my phone down in the front yard. Once back on the porch, I had asked someone to say that we should be in the yard cause it's our house. And that worked much to my surprise! As I followed Ashley to the front yard my heart began to race again. Ring in pocket and hand on ring. I felt my hands sweating! We lined up to take the photo and I kept getting nervous and looking back at the "crowd" and gave em a wink!;) I had set the camera to video because I knew I would be able to pause the video for pictures. As everyone shouted "alright let's go take the pic!" I said alright here we go! 1..2..3.. and got down on my knee and remember saying "Ashley, you are my everything and I want to spent the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" Boy do I wish everyone could see her eyes with my point of view. She was shocked. Her hands bolted to cover her gasp. Several.. several and let me tell you several bunny hops later my beautiful girlfriend became my gorgeous fiance. Everyone cheering and clapping just put the biggest smile on my face and I gave myself a tap on the back! Almost had a heart attack a dozen times but it worked! That day will always remain one of my most loved and cherished moments. This life can be a rollercoaster but at least Ashley will be sitting right there next to me for the rest.